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Descriptive Summary

Creator:

Roberto, Joseph J.

Title:

Records of the Office of the University Architect/Joseph J. Roberto Collection

Dates [inclusive]:

1928-1987

Abstract:

The position of University Architect was created in 1924, first held by Professor
Fiske Kimball (1888-1955). He continued in the position of University Architect on
a part-time basis for thirty years, until his death in 1955. The position was revived
in 1960 with the hiring of Joseph J. Roberto, a 1935 graduate of New York University's
School of Architecture. Roberto had been a practicing architect in New York for twelve
years, specializing in institutional buildings. Anticipating increasing enrollments
in the 1960s, the NYU administration believed that circumstances demanded the appointment
of a full-time architect whose responsibilities included the handling of programming,
real estate, mechanical services, use and site planning, and architectural design
matters. In 1977, Joseph Roberto retired upon reaching mandatory retirement age and
the post was discontinued. Roberto continued to consult for the university, however,
through the mid-1980s.